March 29, 2013

As our plane approaches the island of Coron, I was amazed by the shallow coral reefs that stretch for miles. As listed in Forbes Magazine as one of the best scuba diving sites, Coron does not only offer corals and marine animals to divers and snorkelers but also sunken Japanese ships from the World War II. Because the water is so clear, even snorkelers can view the shipwrecks from the surface.

Above the surface, the island of Coron also offers one of the best rock formations made from granite. The sharp edges of cliffs also make Coron an alluring tourist destination. Rock formations can be seen in almost every part of the island and even nearby destinations such as El Nido and the island of Palawan offers similar views.

We started our day with a tour around the town. We visited first a souvenir shop that has lots of affordable stuff. We decided to leave the shop because it’s not our thing to buy souvenirs in our first day of travel. Next destination we went to is the town plaza which is still a nice place to go to even though most of it is still under construction. We also went to the town hall which we think is not that great looking compared to what we have seen so far. And then we climbed Mount Tapyas. Mount Tapyas is the backdrop of the town of Coron which has a giant cross at its peak. With over 750 steps, we were exhausted when we reached the summit even though we used the stairs. After Mount Tapyas, we went to a cashew store which made me almost broke because I spent way too much. The caramel coated cashew nut is one of the best nuts that I have ever tasted. Our last destination for our first day in Coron was the Maquinit hot spring. I have never seen a hot spring in my entire life and I was simply astounded by the pools of hot water that exhausts steam that enters to my nostrils. Our first day was simply unforgettable.

Mt. Tapyas

Coron Baywalk

Souvenir Shop (Left) and Maquinit Hot Spring (Right)

Sunscreen was no use in our second day in the island because we are booked for a whole day island hopping activity. We visited first an island that has great corals around it. We went for a dive in this area for almost 30 minutes. Then we went to Coron Island Cove which is by far the best view in the island and probably the best view that I have seen in my life so far. We climbed 350 steps to get a wonderful view of the Coron Island Cove. We took a couple of pictures and then went to the other side which is the Kayangan Lake. Kayangan Lake is labeled as one of the cleanest lake in Asia and when we went there, I can see why it got this title. The lake is a freshwater lake and is so clear that we can see the bottom of it even though it is very deep. We ate lunch at a secluded bungalow which surprised us because we saw other tourists having their lunch in a crowded beach. After lunch, we went to see a sunken ship but I was not able to see it clearly because there were a lot of divers in the area. Our island hopping activity ended in Twin Lagoon. We swam for more than 100 meters (one way) which made this last destination more fun and unforgettable. We weren’t able to take photos because we have to swim and enter a cave just to reach the lagoon.

Coron Island Cove and Kayangan Lake

Secluded beach bungalow for lunch.

Entrance view of Twin Lagoon.

Even though we only stayed in a budget hotel, I am still amazed by the wonders of this island. This is one of those experiences wherein I cannot explain more to my friends what I have seen and just tell them to visit the island for themselves.

As our plane approaches the island of Coron, I was amazed by the shallow coral reefs that stretch for miles. As listed in Forbes Magazine as one of the best scuba diving sites, Coron does not only offer corals and marine animals to divers and snorkelers but also sunken Japanese ships from the World War II. Because the water is so clear, even snorkelers can view the shipwrecks from the surface.

Above the surface, the island of Coron also offers one of the best rock formations made from granite. The sharp edges of cliffs also make Coron an alluring tourist destination. Rock formations can be seen in almost every part of the island and even nearby destinations such as El Nido and the island of Palawan offers similar views.

We started our day with a tour around the town. We visited first a souvenir shop that has lots of affordable stuff. We decided to leave the shop because it’s not our thing to buy souvenirs in our first day of travel. Next destination we went to is the town plaza which is still a nice place to go to even though most of it is still under construction. We also went to the town hall which we think is not that great looking compared to what we have seen so far. And then we climbed Mount Tapyas. Mount Tapyas is the backdrop of the town of Coron which has a giant cross at its peak. With over 750 steps, we were exhausted when we reached the summit even though we used the stairs. After Mount Tapyas, we went to a cashew store which made me almost broke because I spent way too much. The caramel coated cashew nut is one of the best nuts that I have ever tasted. Our last destination for our first day in Coron was the Maquinit hot spring. I have never seen a hot spring in my entire life and I was simply astounded by the pools of hot water that exhausts steam that enters to my nostrils. Our first day was simply unforgettable.

Mt. Tapyas

Coron Baywalk

Souvenir Shop (Left) and Maquinit Hot Spring (Right)

Sunscreen was no use in our second day in the island because we are booked for a whole day island hopping activity. We visited first an island that has great corals around it. We went for a dive in this area for almost 30 minutes. Then we went to Coron Island Cove which is by far the best view in the island and probably the best view that I have seen in my life so far. We climbed 350 steps to get a wonderful view of the Coron Island Cove. We took a couple of pictures and then went to the other side which is the Kayangan Lake. Kayangan Lake is labeled as one of the cleanest lake in Asia and when we went there, I can see why it got this title. The lake is a freshwater lake and is so clear that we can see the bottom of it even though it is very deep. We ate lunch at a secluded bungalow which surprised us because we saw other tourists having their lunch in a crowded beach. After lunch, we went to see a sunken ship but I was not able to see it clearly because there were a lot of divers in the area. Our island hopping activity ended in Twin Lagoon. We swam for more than 100 meters (one way) which made this last destination more fun and unforgettable. We weren’t able to take photos because we have to swim and enter a cave just to reach the lagoon.

Coron Island Cove and Kayangan Lake

Secluded beach bungalow for lunch.

Entrance view of Twin Lagoon.

Even though we only stayed in a budget hotel, I am still amazed by the wonders of this island. This is one of those experiences wherein I cannot explain more to my friends what I have seen and just tell them to visit the island for themselves.

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About The Rookie Blogger

This is a personal blog of James Arnold. This blog contains posts about travel, technology, dining, and many more. James is also a freelance photographer that caters events such as weddings, debuts, birthdays, and even personal photoshoots. You can contact him through +63 916 659 7001 if you have any questions or plans to advertise on this blog.